1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to crossbow improvements. The present invention more specifically relates to an arrow protector used to protect an arrow used in conjunction with a crossbow. The present invention also more specifically relates to other features adapted to complement the crossbow.
2. Description of the Related Art
Crossbows are known since a long time as, originally, a war tool and, later, an alternative to guns for hunting and recreation shooting. Crossbows are designed to pretense the string thereof and install an arrow in a position ready to shoot. The crossbow configuration locates a stirrup at a longitudinal distal end thereof, where the arrow is propelled by the string. The crossbow is generally heading down resting on its stirrup in contact with the ground to receive a foot therein to firmly maintain the crossbow to the ground in opposition to the tension required to proximally pull, generally by hand power or by a manual mechanism, the string and lock the string in a position adapted to longitudinally propel the arrow when the tension in the string is released.
One understands the location of the stirrup locate a foot of a user of the crossbow in a position that is interfering with the movement of the arrow when the arrow is installed on the crossbow and propelled by releasing the tension in the string when uncocking.
This can happen when removing the tension in the string and forgetting the arrow in position on the crossbow. Forgetting the arrow on the crossbow can easily happen because the usual beginning and ending of a hunting period happens in the dark before sunrise and after sunset and the user might not visually see the arrow.
Should the arrow be propelled with an interfering foot in the stirrup happen, the arrow is likely to hit the foot and plant in the ground and keep the person with the arrow across his/her foot secured to the ground with the crossbow.
The stirrup of the crossbow is sized and designed to accommodate a single foot therein. Using only one foot to stabilize the crossbow is not optimal to maintain the crossbow in a stable position thus raising additional safety issues especially with pulling the sting to apply tension in the string when arming/cocking the crossbow.
The stirrup is narrow and does not provide significant angular support to the crossbow when the stirrup is on the ground to apply tension in the string.
The arrow installed on the crossbow in a position ready to be fired is not protected and the user of the crossbow cannot prevent foreign object to contact the arrow and risk to move the arrow from its optimal operating position. Conversely, debris can get stuck between the arrow and the riser and move the arrow out of place. This can happen when the user of the crossbow evolves in low visibility or in daylight in the bush and especially when the user of the crossbow is wearing the crossbow on its back while circulating in the forest or climbing in a tree stand.
It is therefore desirable to provide an improved crossbow structure over the existing art that prevents an interference between the broadhead of the arrow and the foot of a user.
It is also desirable to provide an improved stirrup structure over the existing art that prevents an interference between the broadhead of the arrow and the foot of a user.
It is desirable to provide a stirrup structure adapted to damp vibrations of the crossbow in order to reduce the operating noise of the crossbow.
It is equally desirable to provide an improved stirrup structure over the existing art that prevents an interference between the broadhead of the arrow and the foot of a user that could be retrofitted on an existing crossbow.
It is desirable to provide an arrow protector configured to protect an arrow installed on the crossbow in an armed position ready to be propelled by the crossbow.
It is also desirable to provide an improved stirrup structure over the existing art that prevents an interference between the broadhead of the arrow and the foot of a user that could reuse the stirrup of the crossbow and be retrofitted on the existing crossbow with an intervening part that relocate the stirrup not located to result in an interference between the arrow's axis and the foot in the stirrup.
Other deficiencies will become apparent to one skilled in the art to which the invention pertains in view of the following summary and detailed description with its appended figures.